Eyelid retracting device



Feb. 22, 1955 A. Y. DEBEH EYELID RETRACTING DEVICE Filed July 7, 1953 INVENTOR fx el'e h ATTORNEY5 United States Patent EYELID RETRACTING DEVICE All Y. Debeh, Lake Forest, Ill.

Application July 7, 1953, Serial No. 366,461

4 Claims. (Cl. 128-20) This invention relates to a surgical speculum for irisdectomy.

An object of this invention is to provide a speculum for use in eye surgery so as to expose the eye to full view of the lacrimal glands, part of the upper and lower puncta, of the upper and lower canaliculi, the lacrimal sack and naso-lacrimal duct for further exposure for surgery or treatment.

Another object of this invention is to provide speculum which includes upper and lower everters whereby the components of the eye may be exposed for surgery or treatment.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means adapted to be engaged with the eye which will greatly assist the physician and surgeon in treating any condition or disease of the eye in which the eyelids have to be everted, such as cataracts, cysts, eye carbuncles, carcinoma, styes and the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide an eyelid everter which can be used with either the right or left eyes.

A further object of this invention is to provide a speculum which will permit exposing the tarsal conjunctiva and tarsal and retro-tarsal folds of either eye.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawing and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detailed front elevation partly broken away and in section of a speculum constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2. is a plan view of the device.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals and 11 designate generally a pair of elongated levers which are pivotally connected together as indicated at 13. The levers 10 and 11 are biased away from each other at their free or inner ends by means of a spring 12. Each lever has rockably mounted lengthwise thereof adjacent the inner end, a shaft 14 carrying a nob 15. A pair of eyelid everting members 16 and 17 are mounted on the inner end of the shaft 14, the eyelid everting member 16 being loosely mounted on the shaft 14 whereas the eyelid everting member 17 is fixedly secured to shaft 14. The eyelid everting member 16 is formed of a pair of hook shaped members 18 connected together by connecting web 19 and the hook shaped members 18 are formed with bearings 20 engaging about the shaft 14.

The bills 21 of the hook shaped members 18 are adapted as shown in Figure 4 to engage under the eyelid 22. The everting member 17 is formed of a plate 23 which is fixed on the shaft 14 between the bearing members 20. The plate 23 is formed of a rounded projection 24 which is adapted upon rotation of shaft 14 to be disposed between the bills 21 of the hook shaped members 18. The projection 24 is adapted to engage the outer side of the lid 22 for eflfecting the everting or reversion of the lid 22.

A pair of stop members 25 are carried by the plate 23 and are engageable with the hook shaped members 18 upon swinging of everting member 17 to an operative position so that the eyelid 22 will not be pinched during the everting process. An inwardly projecting stud 26 2,702,540 Patented Feb. 22, 1955 See which is polygonal in transverse section projects from the inner one of the hook shaped members 18 and a nose engaging member generally indicated at 27 is adapted to telescope over the stud 26. The nose engaging member 27 is formed of a tubular member 28 and a longitudinally bent bar 29 is pivotally secured in a slot 30 which is formed in the tubular member 28.

The longitudinally bent member 29 is adapted to engage the bridge of the nose and is adjusted as to its angular relation with respect to the tubular member 28 and the associated lever by means of an adjusting screw 31 which is threaded through the inner end of the tubular member 28. The levers 10 and 11 are limited as to their movement away from each other at the inner or free ends thereof by means of a bolt 32 which is pivotally secured as at 33 to lever 11. Bolt 32 loosely engages through guide 34 carried by lever 11 and a nut 35 is threaded in bolt 34. The everting members 16 are limited as to their swinging movement relative to their associated levers by means of a stop 36 projecting from the inner ends of the levers 10 and 11.

In the use and operation of this device, the books 18 have the bills 21 thereof engaged beneath the upper and lower eyelids and at this time levers 10 and 11 are permitted to swing from each other at their inner ends so as to thereby expose the eye to full view. The upper and lower everting members 17 are then rotated to evert the eyelid and at this time nut 35 may be adjusted to provide for exposing the eye as may be desired. The nose rest 29 is then adjusted to keep the instrument and pressure away from the eyeball. The device hereinbefore described may be used as an everting means for either the upper or lower eyelid or may be used only as a speculum without everting the eyelids.

This instrument will assist the surgeon in eye surgery in that it exposes the eye to full view of the lacrimal glands, part of the upper and lower puncta and upper and lower canaliculi, the lacrimal sack and the nasolacrimal duct for further exposure for surgery or treatment. The instrument hereinbefore described is also of great assistance to the physician or surgeon in treating any eye condition or disease of the eye in which the eyelids are required to be everted such as cataracts, cysts, eye carbuncles, styes or the like.

What is claimed is:

1. A speculum comprising a pair of pivotally connected levers, a spring biasing said levers apart, adjustable stop means limiting the movement of said levers in one direction, and eyelid everting means adjustably and pivotally carried by each lever, said everting means being pivotal in it direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of said evers.

2. A speculum comprising a pair of pivotally connected levers, a spring biasing said levers apart, adjustable stop means limiting the movement of said levers in one direction, a shaft pivotally carried by each lever extending lengthwise thereof and projecting from the free end of said lever, a hooked everting member pivoted on said shaft and adapted to hook over the edge of an eyelid, and a second everting member fixed on said shaft engageable with the outer side of the lid.

3. A speculum comprising a pair of pivotally connected levers, a shaft rotatably carried by each lever and disposed lengthwise thereof, manually operable means connected with said shafts to effect rotation thereof, an eyelid everting member loose on the inner end thereof, and a second eyelid everting member fixed on said shaft.

4. A speculum comprising a pair of pivotally connected levers, resilient means biasing the said levers for movement relative to each other, adjustable stop means limiting the movement of said levers in one direction, means carried by each of said levers for engaging on opposite sides of an eyelid to effect the evertion thereof, and means carried by said levers to effect a clamping action of said last named means on said eyelid.

References Cited in the file of this patent 1938 General Catalog of V. Muller & Co., Chicago, pp. 13 and 67. (Copy in Div. 55.) 

